Church drops woman Sunday school teacher

An American Baptist church in Watertown, New York, has dismissed an 81-year-old female adult Sunday school teacher, citing a biblical passage that prohibits women from teaching men.

Timothy LaBouf, pastor of First Baptist Church, said in a statement that “based on the consistent teaching of scripture,” both men and women have roles within the church, but women are barred from teaching men.

The church’s board of deacons mailed a letter August 9 announcing the decision to Mary Lambert, who had taught an adult Sunday school class for 11 years. The letter quoted 1 Timothy 12: “I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent.”